What affects our reception of different people?

[Wingette]

What makes us like people, or hate people? Is it a natural attraction, or do we relate values we have learned through our society that makes us deem an individual acceptable? Were we born with traits we appreciate, and some which we try to distance ourselves from, or is it through exposure to external expectations and limitations that makes us create a so called 'desirable' image of a human in our minds which we use as a standard?

[ChairmanWalker]

I would certainly say that people have an intrinsic set of values or beliefs which they look to identify with in other people, but I wouldn't necessarily call that a natural attraction.

Realistically I suppose that there must be a set of accepted views within society that most people are expected to conform to, and when they don't that is when a larger scale rejection from social situations occurs. However, I also think that it is very difficult to quantify how individual relationships can or will develop.

[Wingette]

I agree. I think that ultimately it is the fear of social inadequacy that pushes us into forming an image of an ideal individual, even if it can conflict our inner beliefs and morals.

So which outcome would ultimately be favourable? Abiding by social expectations for acceptance, or allowing our true motivations to decide what traits we find attractive and repulsive?

[ChairmanWalker]

I think you have to walk a fine line between discrimination and acceptance. I mean, you can't be friends with everyone, a study I read recently suggested that a person can only really maintain up to 50 close friends. So I think there must be some unconscious processes that save us time somehow when it comes to making friends.

[Wingette]

And that raises the question of why we need friends!